Recognizing Myself
by jc-1225
Summary: She memorized the best two years of her life, pried from her grasp, but she will never let go, not until she finds herself, lost within the debris of her own life. RR
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Before I start this chapter I would like to thank my friend, Natari-chan for letting me use her name (though the character I'm using it for is nothing like her). Okay, on with the chapter!

Chapter one

I stared into the eyes of my newfound friend but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking at his father, a picture that hung on the wall across the room. Jin pushed past me and walked to the wall where the picture was hung. I saw Kazuya Mishima's sly smile before he was shattered into a million pieces on the hard wood floor. I always wondered why people didn't shatter like glass on the outside as they did on the inside.

A girl approached me and held out a hand to pull me from the floor. "I'm Asuka Kazama," she said with a kind smile.

"Natari." I didn't tell her my last name. As far as I was concerned, I didn't have one. I didn't have a family either. My so-called parents met in Japan and when they married, moved to the U.S. My mother was Japanese, my father was American. I looked nothing like him. They divorced three years after I was born and my father remarried. My mother and I moved back to Japan. Two years after, while I was at her friend's house, her car was near a shooting onslaught and as she got out, obviously oblivious to the things going on around her, she was shot. I moved back with my father in Nevada. He never told his wife that I was his daughter or that he was married once before and I hated him for that. He just told her that he had adopted me as a gift for her birthday. He never called me by my real name, just called me Natalie, the English to my Japanese name. I hated her for not knowing the truth about me. I moved back to Japan when I was eighteen.

I was brought back to reality by the sound of Asuka's voice. "So how did you meet Jin?"

"Ran into him after the tournament."

"You fought in the tournament?" she asked.

"No. I watched. He was just leaving and I tagged along, gave him company."

This time Jin spoke up. "And I was trying to get rid of you too!" He walked towards me and stopped when he got close.

"You aren't still trying, are you, Jin?"

He smiled and shook his head. "No." Jin looked down at me and smiled.

"That's what I thought." There was a lot Jin didn't know about me, too much actually. I was mostly cold hearted. Jin already knew I was mostly quiet unless someone spoke to me first. I turned to Asuka with a more serious face. "I think I might enter the next tournament though."

I never was trained in the art but I learned a few things from watching the tournaments and I had a few of my own things up the sleeve of my black leather.

"What do you say we get out of here? There's nothing here for us," Asuka suggested.

Jin and I nodded and the three of us walked out of the bare room. Once out of the building we noticed the water falling from the sky. "I hate the rain," I said. The sun is better than rain but I hate it too. I only liked it when it was cold and cloudy or if it was snowing.

I felt my black hair getting soaked as we walked down the streets of Tokyo. My stomach trembled and I wished I'd have worn a shirt that didn't expose the skin. I felt the wind flow through my jeans and down my shirt.

"Kazama!" a voice called from behind us. The rain hadn't stopped but it was lighter now than it had been. The three of us turned to see who'd called. A Korean man with flaming red hair stared in our direction. "Ready for a fight, Kazama?" He'd spoke English.

"Hwoarang, I don't need to fight you," Jin's English wasn't as quick as the other guy's.

I stepped forward. "I'll do it."

"Kazama, you're such a coward, letting a little girl fight your battles for you."

"No," I said. "I volunteered."

I stepped toward him. He held out a hand. "I'm Hwoarang."

I kicked his hand away. "Don't care." I just stood there, waiting for him to make a move.

"Fine. So you wanna fight me, eh?" I raised my eyebrows at him in answer. Hwoarang attempted to land a kick to my midsection. I grabbed hold of his leg with my right hand and I held it against my arm and my hip. Before I let go, I kicked his other leg from underneath him with my left foot.

"Your English is better than Kazama's," he said. When he got to his feet, Hwoarang tried to punch my face and found his arm behind his back and himself being pushed away.

"Spent fifteen years in North America."

"And how old are you?" Hwoarang asked, rubbing his arm and shoulder. He kicked me down when I wasn't focused. Taught me.

"Twenty-one." I, lying on the ground, entangled my right foot in his ankles and pushed myself up with my left. Then, using both hands, I pushed his chest until he collapsed on the wet concrete. "You knocked me down, I'll give you that."

"You've got skill."

"Thanks." I turned to walk away, Jin and Asuka followed. Normally I'm not the kind to thank anyone for anything. Never apologize and explain.

"Nice," Asuka commented. "I get next fight." She laughed.

I heard footsteps behind me and stopped only to find Hwoarang attempting to catch up. "I didn't catch your name."

I shook my head slightly and turned back around and started walking again. I sighed and turned the corner as Asuka and Jin kept walking straight.

"Natari, where are you going?" Asuka Kazama yelled after me.

I turned and walked backwards. "I'll catch you guys later. I've something I gotta do." Before I turned around, I backed into a telephone pole. "What kind of idiot would put a telephone pole where people could run into it?" I mumbled to myself. Most of the time I was highly coordinated, unless I wasn't watching where I was going, then I was bound to run into something. Facing forward, I ran down the street to my apartment complex.


	2. Chapter 2

"Phoenix, I need a favor!"

"What! Who and where are you!"

I stepped out from the shadows, my heels clicking against the ground. "I guess you could say I'm a fan."

"What do you want?" Paul asked.

"Do you still keep in touch with that motorcycle repair man in Nevada? I need his number." I stared at Paul Phoenix coldly, waiting for an answer.

"What's it to you?" he asked, taking a step forward.

"It's personal." I handed him a pen and paper to write down the number. He began to write down the area code, 775, then stopped and looked back at me. "Have you spoken to him in the past three years?"

"Yeah, six months ago."

"Did he say anything? About a Natalie, maybe?" I asked him as he continued to write the number.

"Yeah, he said she moved, why?" Paul looked at me suspiciously.

"No reason." I took the slip of paper and headed off in the opposite direction. "Next time you talk to him, tell him, 'she knows.'" I left without saying another word.

Back at my apartment, I set my keys on the table and went into my bedroom. I walked over to the phone that lay on my bedside table next to a picture. The picture was of me and my mother, the day she died. I had those two years memorized. The best seven hundred and thirty days of my life were with her, just her.

I sighed and picked up the phone. I dialed the operator and then the 775 number. A woman picked up. "Yeah, get me the boss."

In the background I could hear her say, "Henry, the phone's for you." She had an accent, just as I remember. That witch.

He just said, "Thanks, dear," before taking the telephone from her. "Hello?" his voice was ragged, as it was when I knew him.

"It's been a long time," I said, smirking and waiting for a reply.

"Who is this?"

"Oh, you don't remember me? Tragic. You're online, aren't you, Rodriguez?"

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice still rough.

"I need you to look something up for me. Go to a search. Type in 'Japan crossfire accidents fifteen years back' and then your ex-wife's name."

"Rebecca?"

"Yeah, and make sure to spell it right. R-E-B-E-K-K-A. She was full Japanese, don't you remember?" the only sound I heard from the other end was the sound of clicking on a keyboard. "I want you to find out who shot her."

"Anna Williams," now Henry Rodriguez's voice was only a whisper. _Williams…Now I'm definitely entering that tournament._ "Who are you?"

"She still doesn't know, does she? Penelope? Of course not, you wouldn't tell her such a thing. You lied to her, to yourself, even to me. You are nothing to me, just as I am nothing to you. All you have is that witch and want to keep it that way. I'm glad I look nothing like you, Henry, I am."

"You're…"

"That's right, Dad, I am. It's Natalie, don't you remember? At least that what you'd call me, but that wasn't my name. No, that wasn't the name my mother gave me, the name Rebekka gave me. I don't know how you even consider yourself a father." That was another problem of mine. My anger, hatred toward my so-called father.

"Look, Natalie—"

"It's Natari! Not that you care any, though."

"Natari, I'm sorry. I will tell Penelope everything!" That was a lie, I'm sure.

"No, you won't. It would ruin you marriage. If only you told her from the beginning, then maybe your only daughter wouldn't have been so mistreated. But I don't care anymore. Sayanara, Henry." I hung up before my father had a chance to answer back.

I laid back on my bed, put my hand to the side of my face to wipe away the angry tears. Yes, I cried, not much but I did. And I hated it. I got up and took my keys from the kitchen counter, headed out the door.

Anna Williams killed my mother….


	3. Chapter 3

I walked the streets of Japan, trying to lose myself, but with no success. I knew the streets of Tokyo like the back of my hand. These streets are my memories. The memories of two years, blown away like the wind. But Tokyo wasn't what concerned me. Asuka had called me back to her, but I didn't listen; only turned left and right, then left again. I lost Asuka, but not myself. I could still feel her hand on my arm as I turned from her grasp.

The wind rustled and blew in my direction, spreading leaves in the pathway in front of me. I thought of my mother. She barely knew me now, if she were ever to see me she would walk on by, not even knowing that I was her own daughter. She wouldn't even recognize me. "You barely knew me, Mother," I said to the wind. _I am so much more now, than I was then, hiding behind your shadow. You taught me your words, your beauty. But who really, are you to judge the way I am now, the way he has made me? Who really, was she to take the life of another, one who was different than she? _"I wish you were here to hold me, Mother." A single tear flowed from my cheek, a tear I had long tried to hold in since the yesterday.

"Natari." I turned to see Jin, smiling at me but soon his smile faded and he stepped closer. "Natari, you're crying." He reached up a hand to wipe my tears but I pushed it away.

"No," I said, turning around to dry my own eyes. "No, I'm fine." I started to walk again, in the direction I had been. Why did they care so much? They barely knew me. Yet they acted as though they'd known me for years.

"Natari, what's wrong?"

"Nothing! Nothing's wrong! I'm just," I turned around again, the clicking on the ground finally ceasing. "Angry," I said, heaving it out like a heavy burden, almost dropping it on my own two feet.

"I'm always angry. I've learned to suppress it," Jin said.

"I haven't managed that yet."

I felt a figure standing over me that I knew wasn't Jin because Jin was standing in my view, just in front of me. I heard a voice, in English, say, "Hey."

I turned, ready to throw my punch, but stopped short when I realized who it was. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

Paul Phoenix stood before me, hands in his pockets. "I talked to your father. He told me who you were. Wouldn't say what you talked about but that's none of my business. But he told me….he said, 'Tell Natalie that I told Penelope and she was right.'"

"Ha! Serves him right! Calling me Natalie….Lying to everyone…." I sighed. "Now his wife doesn't trust him. She always liked his lies better than his truths. That's why he lied to her about everything, told her what she wanted to hear. But of course, she'll forgive him and he'll go back to lying to her, maybe even lie about lying, just to put everything back….oh, God, how I hate him."

Phoenix cleared his throat. "Do you want me to deliver any messages?" Paul asked after minutes of silence.

"No," I spoke quite softly now. "He's not worth my time." I walked away again, this time Jin didn't try to follow me.

"Who really, are you, Anna Williams, to take my mother's life from her? Who are you really to cause so much pain? Who really are you to take the life of someone so different than yourself, a female fighter known for her red dress and relation to the contract assassin, Nina Williams? Williams, who are you really?"

I found myself walking far into the night, before finally, covered and dripping, soaked in water. I opened the door to my apartment, threw my keys on the table. When I heard them fall, I clicked on the light. Closing the door, I walked into the kitchen only to find two figures waiting for me.

"You should really keep your door locked, Natari," Asuka said. "People really can get in."

"You don't think I know that?" it was more of a statement than a question.

"Only a reminder," Jin said, leaning against the counter behind Asuka. I sighed and walked over to the front door and turned the lock.

"So, why are you here?"

"We were worried about you," Asuka said watching me carefully. "You walked out on me earlier and Jin said when he saw you, you were upset."

"Look, I'm fine. I was just a little mixed…Obviously, if I needed you, wouldn't I have said something?" _I'm not the kind to need someone. I'd rather go solo. Rebekka was the last one I'd needed, the only person I would need now was myself. _

Without making them leave, I went in to shower and sleep. However, my mind had plans of its own. I watched the clock. "And the hours go by like minutes and the shadows come to stay, so you take a little something to make them go away," I quoted. It was from a song I'd heard in Nevada. Henry liked the Eagles. I didn't see the point of pills to be rid of shadows. Shadows cradled me; soon I fell into the darkness. Sure, light shines and can be seen but the shadows are what's left when the light fades.

Everything was from Nevada. Myself and the picture of my mother and I. We were from Japan. If Jin and Asuka were thieves, as long as they didn't take my picture from me, I was fine. It was the only valuable thing I owned. My mother's picture.

I felt of a fluorescent bulb, cold, from being out for fifteen minutes after being lit for an hour at least. An insomniac, dead in her own mind.

My insomnia-filled mind thought maybe tea would make it shut up. I wasn't sure whether to add sugar or not, so I didn't. It didn't help much.

Asuka was curled in the chair in the living room and Jin on the hard floor. I figured Jin wouldn't be one to find himself sprawled out on someone's floor or someone's bed. He would leave before daylight hit. He wouldn't have stayed, I'm sure, if Asuka hadn't insisted that if she stayed, so did he.

"You never thought you'd be alone this far down the line," I quoted again. It was true. But all I really needed was myself; I had my mother, didn't I?

I didn't finally fall until the dawn had started. I had heard Jin leave, but I didn't look at the clock. The neighbor called and woke me up. She wanted to know why she saw a young man leave my house at three AM. Asuka wanted me to ask for help, but I didn't know how.

An insomniac, dead in her own mind.


	4. Chapter 4

I looked closely at myself in the full-length mirror. My straight black hair falling around my shoulders, flowing on and stopped short and my waist; bangs cut long, hung from one side, reaching to my jaw line. At times I wanted to cut it off, but never wanted to have to grow it back again. My blue eyes, gently drawn out, not so American-like. They were of my father, I hated them, yet I loved them, how they shown like neon lights against the black of my hair. My mother had the Japanese-shaped eyes, colored green as though with marker. My lips a painted red. My dark colored jeans fitting tightly to my legs. My white skin showing from the cut of my red shirt. My leather jacket fitting loosely around my shoulders. Black heels of my feet, clicking against the ground as I walked. I always looked like this. I got it from my mother; she always liked the style of American clothing.

I took Asuka's advice of locking the door on my way out. After walking a few blocks, I heard voices around the corner.

"Kazama, where's that chick you were with?" A redhead stood in front of Jin, anger in his voice. I recognized him from a few days before.

"Looking for me?" I asked, coming up behind him.

"Everywhere!" Hwoarang didn't show any signs that he was surprised to see me. "We need to finish what we started!"

"We haven't started anything," I said calmly, as he nearly yelled in my face.

"I will not loose this time, girlie!" Hwoarang put up his arms in defense and was not bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

I couldn't block any of his attacks. I attempted a counter but didn't know where the next blow would hit. I did, however, counter one kick, aimed at my stomach. I grabbed and twisted his leg behind him. I pushed his leg until it popped. I let him up and tripped him down again. Angry, he ran up my body, twisting me behind him. Hwoarang ran full force in my direction. I stepped to the side and slid in his path. He fell on me. I shoved him off and got up. He kicked me down again. From the floor where I lay, catching my breath, I called up to him, "Okay, Hwoarang, you win." He offered a hand to help me off the ground. "Now that we are tied, we'll settle this at the tournament, since we know what each other is capable of."

"And I look forward to that fight, as well as the fight with Kazama," Hwoarang smirked.

"Natari," Jin called. I'd forgotten he was standing there. I turned. "What happened to Asuka?"

"She was still crashed on the chair when I left. But that was over an hour ago. Why?"

"Just haven't seen her."

I walked off, without saying goodbye. It's what I did. Who really was there to say goodbye to? Sure, there were the people I called my friends, but, really, do I know them? Do I care? I liked someone to be around once in a while, to feel presence of human flesh, but I didn't need it. I got along fine for fifteen years without it. I only needed myself and my mother.

If people asked questions, I would answer. But there was a lot that I thought should only be kept to myself. Things about my family. The things I didn't care that left my mouth were sifted through a mask that hid my identity. But some things leaked through. Tears, anger. Jin, Asuka, you still don't know me. You may think you do, but you don't seem me the way I am. You only see the mask. The mask of which I hide with. It made me sick how it seemed as though I cared.


	5. Chapter 5

I walked through the crowds of people trying to get home. The crisp smell of rain filled the air. A storm was coming. Wasn't it always? I dodged the people, the glances, the faces I saw everyday, the faces of people I most likely would never see behind. I didn't need them so I didn't care. I steered clear of their eyes, trying not to catch their glances as they walked past. I wish I could just leave, start new, fresh. But how could I? There's no place for me to go. I'm alone in this world and I'd prefer it that way.

I felt a hand prodding at my back. I turned to find Asuka Kazama. I smiled, pretending to be happy to see her. "What's up?" she asked, almost skipping into stride along side me. I just shrugged and kept walking. "Aren't you cold?"

"I never get cold." That was hardly true. Sure, I was used to it, sort of. But I did get cold from time to time. But I wasn't when she asked.

A few more minutes of silence went by before she spoke again. "Why are you and Jin always so quiet?"

"Thinking I guess."

"What are you thinking about?" Asuka asked.

I sighed. "About the tournament." That was a lie. I was thinking about leaving, that is, before my thoughts were interrupted.

"You'll do fine!" I only nodded and fumbling in my pocket for my key. Upon finding it, I unlocked the door and pushed it open. Attempting to take my keys from the door's lock, the set of keys slipped from my hand and fell on the floor. I bent down to pick them up as Asuka squirmed past me to get into the warmth of my apartment. I walked over and collapsed in the chair Asuka had laid in only a few days before. She just curled up on the floor. "I don't know what's making me so tired lately. I haven't been doing anything." I pulled a pillow from behind me and threw it in her direction, leaning back my head in the chair.

"I know the feeling." I twisted my long hair around my hand and let it fall down my back, where it only came untwisted. I got up and went towards my room. "Don't care if you stay here. Goodnight."

The tournament was coming. King of Iron Fist. Williams wasn't going to get past me alive. She deserved to die for what she did. Whether it was during a fight or maybe after, she was going down.

I sighed and rolled out of bed. It wasn't too early, and not too late. After I had showered, still wearing my yukata, I walked in my living room. "Good Morning, Sleeping Beauty." Asuka groaned a little. "Hungry?"

"What time is it?" I heard her mumble. Asuka rose to her feet.

I walked into the kitchen and searched through the nearly empty refrigerator. "No clue. No clock in my apartment."

"When's your birthday?" Asuka stumbled into the kitchen after me.

"Why?" I started setting food on the counter. I hated my birthday. The last time I enjoyed it was when I turned five. My father never got me anything. To him it was as if I didn't have one. Penelope didn't care. She got more money to shop for herself with the presents I didn't have. How she hated using it on me. But on my birthday, I felt my mother even more.

"So I can buy you a watch."

"Don't." Leaving the food on the counter for Asuka, I went back to my room to get changed. Then I parted and braided my hair into two long braids. Once I was finished, I swooshed them over my shoulder and walked back toward the kitchen. But my journey was cut short when I heard a knock at the door.

"Is Asuka with you?"

"Yeah." I opened the door wider, allowing Jin to step through.

"Oh, hey, Jin! What's up?" I heard Asuka from the kitchen.

"Wow, Asuka, you're up!" Jin chuckled.

"Yeah, really," Asuka laughed back.

"Listen, guys, I gotta go. Lock the door on your way out," I said grabbing my keys and walking out the door. I thought to run back and say, 'If you touch my picture, you're dead,' but decided against it. I didn't want to ruin my curtain.

The tournament was coming. It was only a matter of days. I needed to be sure I was ready.


	6. Chapter 6

I walked through the gate and down the walkway. The cemetery was quiet. On a gravestone, by a tree, had printed the words: Rebekka Motoshima, loving mother, 1955-1990.

That's right, Motoshima-Rodriguez. But I won't go by it. Natari. Just Natari. No last name. Ever.

I don't sign papers and I don't make promises.

I stood in front of the grave and cherry blossoms fell softly on my head. "Mom," I whispered. A single tear streaked down my face. I hadn't been here for a while. "Mother, give me strength for this tournament. And I _will_ be rid of Anna Williams!" I could here my mother's voice pop into my head. One word. Toppyoushimonai. "Yes, Mother, you're right. I am crazy." I chuckled. "Mom, you're the only one who knows the real me. You're all I need for strength."

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Spring was here and the cherry blossoms were beautiful. No more rain.

I ran into Hwoarang on the way to the dojo where I first met Asuka. When he saw me, he started to approach. I pretended not to see him and began to walk past. I felt a hand on my wrist and I stopped dead.

I grabbed the wrist the held on to mine. I knew whose it was but it didn't matter to me. I flung my hand forward and Hwoarang flew in front of me. I twirled his arm behind his back and whispered in his ear, "What do you want?"

"Don't you think this is a little extreme?" he asked trying to look over his shoulder at me.

"Maybe. But I don't care. You shouldn't touch me." Yes, this was me, not the girl you see in me usually, the mask. I dropped my hand and Hwoarang spun around.

"You have a strong grip!" He rubbed his wrist.

"Could've done worse."

Hwoarang gave a quizzical look. "Are you okay?"

I glared. "Oh, you barely know me. Hell, _they_ barely know me. Oh, but you're closer than they are. Trust me. This is only the beginning."

"How can I trust you? You tried to kill me!"

"That's where you're wrong. If I tried to kill you, don't you think you'd be dead by now?" it was good to show myself. If only to scare Hwoarang. He quickly attempted to walk past me, continuing on the way he was headed. "Hwoarang!" he turned. "Don't worry about me. Won't come after you." I paused and he took it as cue to start walking again. "Um, Hwoarang?" he turned yet again. "What did you want?"

Hwoarang shook his head and began walking. "Never mind," he called back. I knew he thought he was dreaming. Ha. Dreaming.

Now, back to the dojo, where I was headed before I was so rudely disturbed! I stormed off but changed my tune over halfway there. I spotted a familiar face. I grabbed Asuka's arm and dragged her with me.

"Hey! Natari! I can't walk backwards! I'm gonna trip!"

Eh, so? "Oh, I'm sorry!" I let go and she turned around.

"Where are we going?"

"Getting ready for the tournament." I smiled at her. The whole rest of the way to the dojo, Asuka babbled on and on and I pretended I was listening.

"Doesn't that creep you out though?"

"Uh huh, yeah." We had arrived at the dojo. "Looks like _someone_ replaced the picture." The picture of Kazuya was in a new frame, no more broken glass, until Jin decides to punch it out again. "Some Kazuya follower, no doubt."

"So, we gonna practice, or what? I'll kick your butt, girl!"

"I'm sure you'll try!"


	7. Chapter 7

I let Asuka make the first move. She punched at my stomach but I blocked it and attempted to send a blow to her shoulder but she moved and I missed. Her face went into a shocked look and she moved one hand to her breast.

"That's a foul!"

"You're the one who moved." It came out almost instantly. I had no time to stop it. I smiled nervously. "Sorry."

"Oh, I forgive you, but I'm still gonna get you back for it." She attempted to punch me back but I slid low and kicked her. We both were on the ground and neither of us could get up from the position we were in. Instead we talked a little, forgetting all about what we had been doing earlier.

When we finally got the strength to get up, we walked out of the dojo, oblivious to the amount of time we'd spent on the floor. It was now mid-afternoon.

"So, Natari, is there anyone you're looking forward to fighting? It starts tomorrow, you know," Asuka asked.

Oh, I can't forget and of course there's someone I'm looking forward to fighting---Anna. "No, not really." She will find out the truth after Anna is brutally murdered. I'm sure I'll be kicked out of the tournament for that, but does it look like I care?

Asuka's voice broke into my thoughts. "What are you going to wear?"

"Oh, don't worry, I'll surprise you."

"Oh, I forgot! I've got to go!" I shot her a quizzical look. "I have to go pick something up for Xiaoyu." She shook her head slightly and began walking backwards. "My friend."

"Um, Asuka?"

"Huh?"

"Turn around." She did as commanded and noticed the fire hydrant that she would've hit if I hadn't stopped her.

She turned back and smiled at me. "Thanks."

"Uh huh." Now, I walked away from her.

I needed to find something to wear to the tournament. So, I began to walk home.

When I opened the door, a clock was blaring at me. Had to be from Asuka. I walked into my room and opened up the door to my closet. There was a lot of things at the back that hadn't been worn before and if they had, it wasn't by me. But what stood out was a kimono hung in the very back.

"This isn't right," I said to myself while pulling it out of my closet. Surprisingly there wasn't any dust on it. "Kimonos are supposed to be wrapped in rice paper and put into a drawer!" I pulled it from the hanger and covered it around my body. The sleeves fell long upon my hands. I stared in the mirror at my reflection. The white of the fabric felt like a mockery. Purity and truth. What is truth really?

I held up my hair up and clipped it but still it was doubled over. I took out the clip and tied it up almost at the very top of my head. I took the rest the hung down the middle of my back. But I then took it down and repositioned it lower. This time, instead of taking it out, I flipped a portion of it under and created a loop. I fastened a clip at the tie but it didn't show on the top layer where my hair came out from the ponytail. Then I moved my hair slightly to the right and repeated the process only this time I flipped it up instead of under and I clipped it on the top layer. Over and over I repeated it. Soon all my hair lined under the ponytail, but just looking at it made me think that there was still something missing. I took a pair of chopstick that my mother had bought me and began to put them through the ponytail at opposite angles. But before putting in the second one, I looked at it. Black with gold lettering. I ran my finger along the oh-so-familiar Japanese characters. Natari. That was what it said.

Yes, this is what I wanted to do for the tournament. Of course, the sandals weren't really my style, especially with the socks, but I would wear them. I would be ready.

I changed back into my jeans and light blue shirt, undid my hair. I didn't want anyone to see what I would do until it had been done. I folded my kimono and wrapped it in rice paper, placing it safe away into the drawer by my bed. I had gotten the idea for my hair I think from my mother. She would always get it really long and then she would fix it up for me. I guess I remembered how she did it but I have never seen anyone else do their hair that way. Rebekka had been talented.

Anna wasn't going to be around much longer. I will free my mother from her grave. Justice shall be served. Tomorrow was the start of the tournament.


	8. Chapter 8

I opened the door, dressed in my kimono and my hair as I had done it the previous day. Leaving the door unlocked and my keys on the table, I exited from my apartment and began walking to where I was supposed to meet the rest from the tournament. I had walked about half a block when I heard someone call my name. I turned to see Hwoarang in his cowboy outfit walking towards me.

"Hey, I'm sorry about how I approached you the other day," he said as he got close.

"Why, you get bruises from it?" I chuckled.

"A few. Why are you in this tournament? Just curious."

"Revenge. Hey, if I die, don't cry for me," I joked. I wasn't going to die. Not in the tournament.

"Revenge on whom? Not me, right?"

"No, not on you. Williams."

"Why, what'd she do to you?" Hwoarang asked.

"She killed my mother. I was five."

"Were you there, when she did it?" I shook my head. "Then how do you know? You can't just say she did it because she's an assassin."

"Called my father. Told him to check the internet. I wanted to know and I wanted him to know. Said it was Anna Williams." I was thinking of ways to change the subject. "So, what's with you and Jin?"

"We had a draw and I'd like to see who's better."

"Wouldn't know. I haven't fought Jin." We were almost to the hotel. "And hey, if you say anything to Jin or Asuka about my plans for the tournament, I'll give you worse than bruises," I paused. "Remember, I'm closer to you than I am to my friends. They don't see me for who I am, they see me for someone I'm not. They don't see the girl behind the mask." I walked ahead of Hwoarang and inside the hotel. At the registration desk, the receptionist asked for my name. I gave her the only name I have, "Natari."

"Thank you. Room 204. We'll send up your schedule." She handed me a key and before heading in the elevator, I looked around a bit. Finding nothing of interest, I walked inside the elevator and just before it closed I saw someone slip in. Red hair.

"What floor?" I asked, politely.

"Second." Hearing the voice, I looked over at the man only to see that it was Hwoarang.

"What room do you have?"

"207." Three doors away from mine. When the elevator stopped I got out and he came rushing after me. When he caught up to me, he said, "Why do you always do that?"

"Who does what now?

"Run away! You do it all the time."

"I would say sorry but if I did, it wouldn't be true. Hell, my life is untrue." I chuckled. Of course I wouldn't admit it but I liked being around Hwoarang. I could let myself go.

I entered my hotel room and collapsed on the bed. I had even fallen asleep there until there was a knock on the door. A voice called through the door, "Brought your schedule. I went down to get mine. I got impatient."

"Just open the door," I groaned.

Hwoarang did as he was told. The door opened and he stepped in. When he saw me laying face down on the bed, the first thing he said was, "Whoa."

I rolled over onto my back and reached out my hand towards him. "Help me up, now." Hwoarang shot me a look like, 'Get up yourself.' Then I added, "Hwoarang if you don't help me, when I do get up, I might have to rip your arm off and beat you with it." His glare ceased and he walked closer and pulled on my hand until I was to my feet. I smiled at him in thanks. He handed me my schedule. "Round one: vs. Ling Xiaoyu. Round two: vs. Hwoarang; hey, I'm fighting you in the second round. Round three: vs. Steve Fox. Round four: vs. Anna Williams; oh and she's going down. Round five: vs. Julia Chang. Round six: vs. Christie Montiero. Round seven: vs. Jin Kazama. Final round: vs. Heihachi Mishima."

"First round starts in ten minutes," Hwoarang said.

I looked in the mirror. My hair looked the same as when I did it. "Okay, well let's go." Hwoarang shrugged and followed me toward the elevator. "So, did you get that fight with Jin?"

"Of course," he grinned.

"Did you bribe them?"

He laughed. "No, not this time. I thought about it though." I couldn't tell whether he was kidding or not. "Now, I have a question for you. Why are you hiding out?"

"How do you mean?"

"Why are you keeping yourself hidden behind a mask?"

"I guess, because I don't want to loose anyone else. I lost my mother and everyone else is meaningless." It was true. And it was me.

"Even me?"

I shook my head slightly. "No." Well, yes and no. He is and he isn't; complicated balance. "You're in between meaningless and meaningful, if you can understand that. I guess it's because you know me for me."

"Yeah, I got it."

"Ya know, no one has asked me that before. What made me like this? But I never really trusted anyone, except my mother. And I don't know, there's just something about you that makes me think I can trust you," I smiled at him.

Hwoarang scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, well.."

We arrived at the dojo in the hotel. People I didn't know were gathered around in small groups scattered across the room. The first round was about to start.


	9. Chapter 9

An announcer called for the first fight after an introduction was made. It would be me and Ling Xiaoyu.

We got into our stances and readied for a fight. When the announcer called for a go, Xiaoyu hit me first. It was more of a push than a punch. But I took it, thinking she couldn't do much worse. I grabbed her left shoulder and put my right foot behind hers. Pulling my leg up, I brought my arm down on her stomach. She fell when I released her.

Xiaoyu sprung back on her feet and leaped through the air, landing on me. When I arose back up, I said, "Aren't you a little old for pigtails?" She only rolled her eyes in reply.

"And where did you learn to fight?" she shot back, a few seconds late.

"I could ask you the same question." Most moves were self-taught. My mother taught me the basics when I was little. My mother would go to a dojo where I would sit and watch other fighters and learn things from them. After a while of being there, the sensei said that he would teach me and he became my mentor. But when I moved to North America, I never did see him again. But I don't really have a particular style of fighting.

Upon hearing me reply, she got angry. She charged at me. I stepped to the side and when she came near me, I kicked her feet out from underneath her. I fell down with her and pulled a few joints in her leg.

She got up, limping, and as I readied a punch, she got down low against her leg. With her arms in the air she scooted towards me. When she felt she was close enough, she used her arms to push herself off the ground and her legs swung up and hit me in the face.

After that I got wise and backed away to block the essence of her attacks. But when a kick came my way, I grabbed her leg and turned to face her direction. Then I used my leg to kick hers from under her. I dropped her leg. She rolled onto her feet before I had the chance to perform an aerial attack.

When she came near me to execute a grab, I pushed her off of me and then I grabbed onto her. From the right side, I wrapped my arms around her waist and threw her down on the ground.

After a few moments of staring down at Xiaoyu, who was attempting to get up, the announcer called time and someone came to examine our wounds.

"Natari is the winner!"

I didn't stay to watch the others fight. I went back to my hotel room.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

I picked up the phone and had just finished dialing when there was a knock on my door. "Come in," I called behind me. Just then the phone stopped ringing and a woman answered. "Hi, I'm coming down there and I was just hoping that you could ready a bouquet of sunflowers for me. My name? Natari. Okay, thank you." I hung up the phone and turned around to see Hwoarang sitting on my bed. "Hey, did you win?"

"Yeah, the fight was against Marduk. So, uh, what was that phone call about?"

"I need to go pick up some flowers from the flower shop a few blocks from here. You're welcome to come if you'd like." I stood up from my chair and began walking into the hallway. Hwoarang followed.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

We walked into the gate. I'd been here recently before but this time I carried a bouquet of sunflowers.

"So where are we going?" Hwoarang asked.

"To see my mother."

"And why do you need to bring her sunflowers?"

"I'm bringing them to her as thanks for helping me with the tournament. The reason it had to be sunflowers was because of what she used to call me." By now we were almost to her grave. Cherry blossoms still fell around the cemetery.

"And what was it that she called you?"

"_Takeshi Himawari._ It means brave sunflower. I made myself a promise when she died. It was that I would live up to my name. And so far I have." I laid the flowers down in front of the headstone then bowed my head before whispering, "Arigotou Okaasan." Thank you Mother.

Then I turned and again Hwoarang followed me. "So, her name was Rebekka?"

"Yeah."

"How old were you…when she….?"

"I was five," I said, knowing exactly what he was trying to ask. Deaths make everyone uncomfortable, everyone other than assassins or murderers. "I would have a Buddhist alter if I were Buddhist. My mother never believed in religion. So neither do I. we are atheists as some would say." I paused for a moment. "I have one more place to go."

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Excuse me," I said. But the man ignored me so then I added, "Sensei?" The man turned and gave me a quizzical look signaling that he didn't know me. "I'm Natari, Rebekka's daughter. You last saw me eighteen years ago."

"Ah yes, Natari. How are you? And your mother?"

"Um, well, I'm okay. My mother isn't with us anymore. It's been eighteen years since her death." Sensei gave me that 'I'm so sorry' look. I shook it off and said. "I'm in the fighting tournament."

"Well, come see me when you win but for now, I am very busy. Glad to have seen you. Stop by again sometime." With that he turned and walked away and Hwoarang and I walked out of the dojo.

"Any other random stops you'd like to make?" That made me smile a little. I shook my head.

"No, but I've got to go back to the hotel. I need my rest for when I fight you tomorrow." Hwoarang looked up at the sun.

"But it's nowhere near dark. Are you crazy? How can you sleep this early?"

"I didn't say sleep! I said rest." I rolled my eyes, shook my head, and headed towards the hotel.


	10. Chapter 10

I awoke early to get ready for the fight. It was against Hwoarang and I really had no idea what would happen. This time instead of bringing Japanese culture to the fight, I wanted to wear American clothing. So, naturally, I picked out my red top, dark jeans, and leather jacket. It was what I wore when I first fought with Hwoarang. Maybe it would bring me some luck. I brushed through my long hair, leaving it down as I had before.

Once I'd finished getting ready, I walked out into the hallway and noticed Jin come out of his room. "Hey," I called, skipping into step beside him.

"Oh, it's you," he seemed somewhat relieved.

"Who else would I be?"

"Xiaoyu," he noticed my puzzled look and added, "uh, never mind."

I decided to change the subject. "So, who are you fighting with today?"

"I don't care as long as I win. What about you? Who are you fighting?"

"Hwoarang."

Jin just gave a look of 'Oh,' showing that he understood. Then he said, "I hope you win."

I smiled at him and said, "You too," though of course I didn't mean it. I really didn't care if he won or lost.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

When the fight was starting, Hwoarang glared at me until the announcer called it a go. Immediately, showing no mercy, Hwoarang started up an array of kicks. Staggering back up, I was ready for it. When he kicked me next I countered it by grabbing hold of his foot, pulling it closer and shoving it back, knocking Hwoarang off balance.

Standing up from the ground, he walked toward me angrily. I just grinned back at him. His fist nearly made contact with my face but I pushed it away. I dodged another punch and my hair fell in my face. I didn't see the next one coming. Hwoarang's fist collided with my eye. I stumbled backwards and he landed a kick to my stomach. Doubling over trying to catch my breath, he watched me fall but didn't come near me. Hwoarang waited until I got up before he attacked. He ran at me and before I had time to move he hit me. Even though my hands and arms had been there to protect me, I still got beaten enough to forfeit.

I lay on the ground, giving up. I'm not one to give up easily.

Hwoarang was declared the winner of the fight. I closed my eyes, resting my head against the ground. "Natari," my eyes shot open when I heard my name. Hwoarang was bent over me, his hand outstretched. Whose side are you on? First you try to kill me and then you try to help me! I would've made a comment if I wasn't so exhausted.

"You're that tired?" No, I'm just staggering up for effect. I nodded. "I didn't mean to hit you that hard." He was afraid I was gonna win, didn't want to lose his chance at fighting Jin. Hwoarang escorted me back to my hotel room.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

After I'd rested up, I decided to go out. Picking up my room key and my jacket from the table, I exited out the door and left the hotel. Reaching my hand in my coat pocket, I found what I was looking for. Sure, it was only a small kitchen knife, but I can't go killing someone without a weapon, now can I? Besides at least it'll do my some good.

I was almost fully dark, but not quite. I heard noises coming from down an ally. I followed them.

When I'd reached the place where the noises had erupted from, in front of me were two women. The blonde, who was facing me, held a handgun and had it pointing at the brunette. The brunette had her back to me so I couldn't see her face. I knew I'd seen the blonde before but I couldn't place her name. She was speaking but when she saw me, she stopped and pointed the gun over the brunette's shoulder at me. "Who are you and what do you want?"

I wasn't afraid but I needed to be nice anyway so as not to piss her off. "I don't mean harm to you, miss. I'm looking for someone."

"Who?" Her voice was just as cold as before and her blue eyes were piercing through my skin.

"Anna Williams."

She seemed to make no reaction but simply said, "What do you want with Anna Williams?"

"I need to speak with her."

The blonde then turned to the brunette, who still hadn't moved. "Anna, we're done here. You weren't much challenge anyway. Next time bring a weapon." Then she turned and walked away. The brunette turned to me.

"What do you want?" Her voice was less harsh and not as cold as the other girl's. Her eyes were softer but still the same blue.

"What's the matter, Anna, you don't recognize me?"

"Should I?"

"_Ama,_ you killed my mother!" Cursing at her only helped fuel my anger.

"I've never killed anyone!"

I pulled the knife from my pocket and took a stab at her leg. She let out a small scream. "Tell me the truth!"

"I did! I've never killed anyone!" Anna yelled offensively. I moved to stab her other leg but she pushed my arm away. I attempted, with the other arm, to push it back but she twisted the hand with the knife and pushed it, stabbing my arm. But no scream escaped my lips. I look down to see the knife stuck between my radius and ulna, almost sticking out from the other side.

I retreated back the way I came, running away from the ally and toward the hotel.

I hid my arm in my coat, not having the courage to pull it out. As soon as I got to the hallway I looked for room 207. When I found it I hurriedly ran to the door, banging but not so much as to wake others.

He came to the door looking like he'd just got up, in fact, I'm sure that is what had happened. Before he had time to say a word, I shoved past him and shut the door. "What are you doing here?"

I turned on the light and sat on his bed. "I need your help," I pulled my arm from my jacket, "with this." Hwoarang cringed when he saw the knife.

"What happened?"

"That baka ama, Anna!"

He gave me a puzzled look then shook it off. "We have to get that out of there! Hold on!" I sighed as he ran in the bathroom to grab a towel. He came back carrying a white towel. Pity it had to be white. Placing the towel, unfolded, under my hand, he began to pull out my kitchen knife.

Death marked me crimson on the pale white of my skin. I watched the white of the towel turn to red instantaneously as blood touched its surface. Once the knife was out, I wrapped my wound in the still white parts of the towel.

Finally, I broke the silence between us. "She says she didn't do it."

"Maybe your source was wrong?"

"I don't know, I'm gonna find out tomorrow." Hwoarang helped me put a bandage on it. Before leaving, I thanked him with a smile and went to bed.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Ama---- bitch

Baka ama---- stupid bitch


	11. Chapter 11

When morning came, there was a knock on my door. It was Asuka. Immediately after I opened the door in sleep induced drunkenness, she gasped. "Natari! What happened to your arm!"

Coming out of my drowsiness, I took a quick glance down at my arm. Blood had seeped though the bandage. "It's nothing. I'm fine, really."

"No! What happened?"

My eyes were wide open by now and I began yelling at her. "Nothing! Now quit bugging me about it!"

"Gosh, Natari! I've never seen you like this before." Asuka pointed behind her. "I'm just gonna go now. Sorry I bothered you."

I slammed the door as she walked away. Putting my back against the door, I slid down until I was on the floor. I rested my head in my palm and sighed.

A few minutes passed before I got up and walked into the bathroom. But there was no way I could rewrap my arm. Even though being right handed means that you don't do much with your left, I still couldn't wrap it well enough, even though it was my left that had gotten stabbed.

Before leaving the bathroom, I brushed my hair and changed my attire. I left my hotel room and walked down the hall to see Hwoarang.

When he opened the door he seemed the same as the night before. I'd woken him up again. "Hwoarang, could you?" I held out my arm to him showing the crimson gauze.

"Oh," he opened the door wider so that I could step through.

"Thank you so much. And remember, I'm not one to say thank you," I smiled, "unless it's something huge."

He wrapped my arm back up and said he needed to get ready for the next round in the tournament. Hwoarang was fighting Asuka.

"I scared her off this morning. Do me a favor? Tell her I didn't mean to. But don't use the words 'sorry' or 'apologize.'" I closed the door behind me and walked back to my room to finish getting ready. But for what I wasn't sure. I wasn't going to show up at the tournament anymore. I got what I wanted. I guessed I would go back to my apartment.

But first…

I made my way over to the phone and dialed a bunch of numbers. A man answered the phone this time.

"You're a liar, Rodriguez."

Recognizing my tone of voice, he said, "What do you want?"

"Who killed her, Henry?"

"What are you planning?" He should know not to answer my questions with other questions.

"You're aggravating me. Who killed her! Who killed Rebekka Motoshima!"

"What's my reason to tell you?"

"Because I'm your daughter!" Tears burned my eyes. But I wouldn't let him know that I was crying.

I heard a familiar feminine voice in the background. "Who is it, Henry?"

"No one, dear," he told Penelope. He waited a moment for her to leave the room. Then in a slight whisper, in case his wife was listening, said, "If I tell you who killed her, then will you leave me and my family alone?"

"Depends. Now, answer!"

Rodriguez sighed. "I hired an assassin to kill her."

The tears ceased. My hand balled into a fist. I hung up the phone with my left hand. With my right hand still balled into a fist, I got up from my chair and backhanded the wall out of anger. The plaster of the wall cracked into a circle shaped indentation. I quickly gathered my stuff, slipped a note under Hwoarang's door and made for my apartment, dropping my room key off at the desk.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

"You didn't show up for your fight," I turned around to see a familiar redhead in my doorway. He held up the note I'd left. "You write well in English, considering you are Japanese."

"Like I said, North America." Hwoarang nodded.

"Steve took it out on me that you weren't there."

"What'd he do? Punch you in the jaw?" I chuckled.

"Nah, he just yelled at me some. Nothing big." Hwoarang walked over to me and sat down at the table in front of me. "So did you ever figure out who it was that killed Rebekka?"

"Yeah," I balled my hand up into a fist again. "It was my Henry Rodriguez with the help of an assassin, who we can only assume is in Japan." I paused and put an ironic smile on my face. "But I'm not going after the assassin."


	12. Chapter 12 LAST

"So what are you gonna do?"

I began to pack my things, a few pairs of cloths, a hair brush, a pair of high-heels, and the picture of my mother; I ignored Hwoarang's question. "If the Americans lock me up, don't expect a phone call." I grabbed my bag and my keys and walked toward the front door.

"So if they don't, you'll call me?" I turned to look the redhead in the face. He looked confused. "How would you?"

"Check my messages," I said, as though I knew he'd get it. "I'll call here."

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

I stepped up to the counter and tapped my hand down on it. "Reno, Nevada."

The lady looked up, surprised, and with a delayed reaction, typed everything into the computer and gave me my plane ticket. "Have a nice day, Ma'am."

As I walked away I grumbled and rolled my eyes. If I had the time, I'd have punched her in the face. I can't stand people like that.

I sat down in a chair, waiting for my fight to be called. After a while, a really happy, preppy girl came and sat beside me. Her hair was in pigtails and she was dressed all in pink. She brought her face close to mine and with a quizzical look, said, "I've seen you before. Where?"

I looked her in the face. "I recognize your face. I remember you. What's your name?"

"Ling Xiaoyu."

I chuckled, "Figures."

"How so? Who are you?" Her face turned to a scowl and she stared at me expectantly.

"Tournament; you lost o me, remember?"

"Apparently, you lost, too." She smirked.

"No, I dropped."

"Why?"

"I've got better things to do." I stood up, my flight had been called.

Xiaoyu noticed my arm. "What happened?" she asked, pointing.

I ignored her question, "Now, if you don't _mind,_ I have a flight to catch." I walked away from her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

When I arrived in NV, I checked into a hotel and called my apartment. "Hwoarang, it's me. Just wanted to tell you that my plane landed safely and I'm gonna wait until later in the night before I do anything." I hung up and lay back on my bed, thinking about how I would make this work.

It was eight o'clock. I wanted to go after she went to sleep so Henry and I could have a little chat. Penelope used to go to bed around eight thirty. If I left at eight forty-five, maybe I could catch her asleep. He doesn't usually go to sleep until eleven or twelve. But things may have changed.

I opened up my bag, pulling out a black outfit and fitting it tight on my body. I tied my hair back and walked over, high-heeled, to my bed. My tennis shoes lay on the floor, where I had taken them off. I reached down and pulled from inside them the knife that I'd used on Anna, and just as well the same knife she used on me.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Looking at them through the window, from the height of the tree in the yard, I saw that Penelope had indeed gone to bed and Henry was, of course, in his study, reading. He began to place a mark in his book and started to put it down, getting up from his chair.

I drew the knife and held it in my right fist. Knife and left hand pushing against the limb of the tree, I pushed off, propelling myself toward the window, crashing through it and startling Henry.

"Hello, Henry."

"What do you want?"

"We need to talk," he glanced from me to the knife in my hand and back again.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Oh, but there is." I smirked but my smirk faded as I began to ask my first question. "Why'd you do it?"

"She got in the way."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Care? No, but I don't deem I have a choice." Rodriguez still stared at the dagger in my fingers.

"That's what I like to hear."

"She found out about Penelope. She asked questions, too many of them. There was just no talking to her."

I cut him off. "So you killed her. She knew too much."

"Thought I'd save her some pain."

"Save her pain!" I was angry and crying. "What about me? I'm still suffering. But you know what? That's okay because you don't care about me anyway. And even if you did? Would it matter? You killed someone. You killed my mother."

"Natalie, I care."

"You never cared even to say my name. You never cared enough to talk to me. You don't care," I glared, "so why should I?" I thought a moment. "So, years later, she was still in the way. So that's why you had her murdered. Somehow I don't believe that but I just don't care about your motives anymore." I pinned him to the wall, knife to his neck. "Just tell me, do you regret it?"

"No," he didn't seem afraid; somehow he knew what I was planning. He knew I planned to kill him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the glint of my dagger in the mirror. I saw my face in the mirror and I dropped my knife and my body to the floor, tear streaming from my eyes like a torrent.

I looked up at Henry, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Daddy."

**A/N: What happened was that she saw her reflection in the mirror and it looked like Rebekka standing there, not her. She knew what Rebekka would've said to her and it brought her to tears. And Natari finally realized that she really was sorry for all the hell she'd caused for everyone. Natari realized that all she wanted was her father to love her.**


End file.
